Nudged by God

I recently watched Frozen the movie. I could see myself as Elsa with Anna as God.

Gift…Elsa, the main character in the movie, wasn’t a typical princess. She was born with magical powers. We all are born unique. “You formed my inmost being.” (Psalm 139:13a)

Gift accepted…Elsa was a young girl when she became aware of her special power that she couldn’t quite control. This is exactly how I felt when I became aware of my vocation. It was a very powerful and joyful emotion. I was about 15 and a half when I first became aware of God’s call. I was filled with joy and yes, I couldn’t control it either. Have you ever felt like this?

Hiding…Elsa was told by her parents to hide her gift from everyone. When in public, she had to use gloves to control her powers. Elsa worked hard to hide her power and feelings. I, too, let my joy and feelings be tamed by my family and society…. Why? Because this feeling did not fit into what we call the typical life… The call was there, but I had to hide it.

Are you feeling alone or feeling like curling up in your invisible castle and staying tuned to your feelings?

Disconnect…Elsa has shut Anna, her little sister, out of her life and missed the bond they shared as kids. Anna missed her a lot as well… As Elsa abandoned Anna and everyone else to fit into society. In a similar way, I started to abandon my true self and God in order to be accepted.

If you feel like you are being called but trying to hide it, how has it effected you so far? What has been your response?

Nudging…Anna keeps “nudging” Elsa (“Do you want to build a snow man? song), but the song ends with: “it doesn’t need to be a snowman.” It is not really about the snowman, it’s about the relationship. I, too, felt God nudging me a lot.

Have you felt nudged by God, by the needs of the world, by others?

Far away…It takes a lot of effort to hide whatever is your best self. I felt getting less patient and starting to losing control over my feelings. Elsa could not control her feelings and power at the coronation party and she cursed her kingdom by mistake. Elsa ran away where she built her own castle. “Not a footprint to be seen: Elsa is on her own, with no one else to tell her who or what she has to be.” I, too, came to the USA to find out who I was.

Time to go for a retreat to sort it out? Or to see a spiritual director? Or maybe even to check out some religious orders?

Alive…Elsa finally accepted and embraced her gifts of ice-power. It is very obvious that she let herself become truly alive. The song “Let it go” from the movie has many powerful lines that explain this. I, too, started to get tired of being nudged by God and began to let my real self live. I started to accept and embraced all the gifts I received from God. I felt alive again.

Another nudge…As the town keep freezing up by the curse, Anna went to ask for Elsa’s help. The two got into an argument and Anna’s heart was hit. I feel that many times God has tried to reach out to me, or even has revealed the things in the world that needed help, needed love. Even the movie says it in a song: “beware the frozen heart.”

Listening to your heart…The movie goes on, I don’t want to spoil all of it. But if you wonder what breaks the curse, it was not a kiss of true love. It was one sister’s selfless act of true love that broke the spell and turned things around. The world is in so much need of love. Through Baptism, we are all called to share the love of God with everyone we meet and in everything we say and do.

If you are feeling being nudged and hiding it. Well, as you see in the movie, it takes a lot of effort, and after all, doesn’t take us far. There are various ways to be a disciple: being single, married, an associate, vowed religious or ordained priest.

The quest is yours to find out who you are and to choose your response to the needs of the world. Be ready to listen to God in your heart and to respond.

12 responses to “Nudged by God”

Dear Bea, what a wonderful & inciteful message to us all. I love the movie Frozen and have seen it a couple of time, but after having read your blog, I will see it again for a third time to better reflect on my own vocation. Way to go dear friend and sister.

What a terrific blog! The analogy of the movie to God’s call is simply beautiful. I will now have to see the movie again just to recall my own vocational experience. Along with your other many gifts, Bea, you write like a pro. Thanks so much,

Thank you, Barbara. I hope it was worth watching the movie again in the light of vocations. “Do you want to build a snowman? It doesn’t have to be a snowman.” Thank you for your service and presence with our sisters in Akron, and thank you for all you do to help our sisters.

Thank you, Susan. This movie has lots of ‘vocation’ moments, and it also has several insights on everything is connected and effects the other, thoughts on how to build peace: inner peace and peace among us. Hope all is going well at the Peace Center in New Orleans. Blessings to all of you there.